


Generation Next

by TheSovereigntyofReality



Series: The Holmes Estate [9]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Closing Fic, F/M, No Bashing, Team Tony, pure fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-08
Updated: 2019-06-08
Packaged: 2020-04-19 16:30:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,183
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19136449
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSovereigntyofReality/pseuds/TheSovereigntyofReality
Summary: Life goes on.And history repeats itself.





	Generation Next

**Author's Note:**

> **Disclaimer: If you recognise it from somewhere else, it isn't mine.**

The cabin was tucked in the woods, directly next to a lake.

The back door opened and Tony Stark walked out. He moved off of the back porch and down the steps. Then he strode across the space to where there was a small tent set up. As he approached the tent, he clapped out a rhythm. ‘Showtime!’ he called. ‘Come on! Everyone’s here!’ He crouched down by the front of the tent. ‘Morgana!’ He sat down on a small set.  
‘Come on, lunch is ready.’

The tent flap was pushed aside and the small form of a child wearing a plastic Iron Man helmet jumped out with an improvised mitten repulsor. ‘Define what lunch is,’ the child said.

‘Okay.’ Tony flicked the visor up to reveal the face of a cherub-faced little girl with the family’s trademark brown eyes and hair. Tony leaned in and kissed her cheek. ‘Come on. Don’t you want all your presents?’

‘How many?’ the girl asked.

‘Morgan Howard Stark,’ Tony said with a wry smile. ‘Do we remember what mommy and daddy said?’

‘Number of presents doesn’t matter?’ Morgan asked.

Tony smiled and lifted the mittened hand. ‘How did this happen?’

‘In the garage.’

Tony smiled. ‘You like going in the garage, huh? So does daddy. Come on.’ He picked her and propped her on his hip. ‘Everyone’s already here,’ he told her as he carried her back to the cabin. ‘Grandma’s been asking after you.’

‘Yay! Uncle Sarge too?!’

‘Yeah, he’s here too.’

Tony carried his daughter back into the cabin.

‘HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MORGAN!’

Morgan squealed in delight and squirmed until Tony put her down.

***

James watched as Morgan tore into the present he’d gotten for her.

‘Wow!’ She pulled a brand new engineering kit out of the box and lifted it over her head, face as bright as Tony’s had been when he’d gotten his first one. ‘Thanks, Sarge!’ She then jumped up and ran over to her Tony. ‘Daddy! Daddy! Will you help me with this?! Please! Please! Please!’

‘Sure thing, squirt.’ Tony immediately plopped down off the chair he was sitting on and helped Morgan open the box and pull out all the bits and pieces.

James suddenly found himself flashing back.

_Howard sat on the floor, holding a piece of an engineering set in place while his pre-school-age son twisted another piece into place. Little Tony’s tongue was between his teeth and his brow was furrowed as he concentrated. Howard just sat there, smiling patiently and allowing his little boy to work out how it fitted appropriately._

Now, Tony sat on the floor, holding a piece of the engineering set in place while his pre-school-age daughter twisted another piece into place. Little Morgan’s tongue was between her teeth and her brow was furrowed as she concentrated. Tony just sat there, smiling patiently and allowing his little girl to work out how it fitted appropriately.

History did, indeed, repeat itself.

***

Maria sat at the table, watching over the top of her mug as Morgan ran around with one of her new toys. She’d been named after an eccentric uncle of Pepper’s...and after Howard. Of course, they’d initially expected her to be a boy. The fact that she’d come out a girl had not changed what they’d chosen to name her.

Howard would have adored her.

Once or twice, Maria recalled, Howard had mused what it would’ve been like to have a daughter. He’d been curious, more than anything else, if it would’ve been any different from having a son. Now, Maria could securely say that no, it wouldn’t. Morgan was so like Tony. She would probably grow into a tomboy, always covered in grease and knowing any and all machines inside out, before she straightened out to take over Stark Industries.

But here...in this remote little home of Tony and Pepper’s, she could enjoy her childhood to the fullest.

***

Merton sat back, sipping a cola.

A good chunk of the family hadn’t been able to make it for Morgan’s birthday, but they’d all sent presents. Morgan tore through them like a termite through wood. Her enthusiasm was quite like all of her cousins. But, there was something that wasn’t. Like her father before her, Morgan Stark would be raised in the spotlight.

Her quiet childhood would end soon though. Soon, she’d begin school and people were already waiting for her first arrival in public life.

Tony and Pepper had prepared her as best they could.

Well...Tony had been fine.

Morgan would be too.

***

When Morgan had been conceived, Rhodey had watched his best friend throw himself into the impending fatherhood enthusiastically. He’d been so excited at the idea. Rhodey’s mother had been excited as well, looking on Tony as a surrogate nephew, and had offered her help in any way she could. She and Maria Stark had often come together, happily planning out little Morgan Howard Stark’s arrival.

It was a good thing, his mother had remarked when the day came, that Morgan was a unisex name.

The expected son had come out as a daughter.

It didn’t change her middle name, either. “Howard” was, technically, still a boy’s name, but Rhodey could think of several names that had started out masculine and then ended up unisex on account of one celebrity or another. He wouldn’t be surprised if “Howard” became a unisex name in another 20 years or so.

Still...Tony was instantly wrapped around Morgan’s little finger.

And then, it turned out, the apple had plopped straight down. Morgan was every bit as inclined towards engineering as her father. She was a really daddy’s girl, if ever he saw one. Rhodey was expecting her teen years would see a tomboy and that tomboy would turn into one hell of a CEO for Stark Industries. She was Tony and Pepper’s daughter.

How could Morgan Stark be anything less than dynamite?

***

Pepper paused at the doorway and peered inside.

‘Leave me! Take me back. Haunt me no longer!’ Tony read from the book in his hands.

Pepper smiled. This had to be the third time this month that Tony had read that book to Morgan. It wasn’t even Christmas time. She just liked the book. _A Christmas Carol_ was, in fact, Morgan’s favourite story in the whole world. And, every night, Tony would sit down and read to her whatever she wanted. Usually, he ended up reading that one. He swore to Pepper that he could now recite the book by heart.

‘He gave the cap a parting squeeze, in which his hand relaxed; and had barely time to reel to bed, before he sank into a heavy sleep.’ Tony closed the book.

‘Next chapter tomorrow night, daddy?’ Morgan asked.

‘Yeah.’ Tony set the book on the bedside table and pulled the blankets up to Morgan’s chin. ‘Next chapter tomorrow night. But, right now, you go nighty-night.’

‘Okay.’ Morgan shut her eyes. ‘Night-night, daddy.’

‘Night-night.’ Tony leaned over and kissed her forehead. ‘Sleep tight. I love you a ton.’

‘I love you 3000.’

Tony smiled at the by-now familiar phrase.

**Author's Note:**

> This is the last installment of the series.
> 
> I'd like to put more in but I feel this series has gone as far as I can stretch it without ruining it.
> 
> Thank you for all the love.
> 
> See you on my next story. ;)


End file.
